Main points
- New Moto G models come with improved performance.
- Moto G 5G features a 6.6-inch HD+ 120Hz screen, 50MP main camera, 2MP macro, and a 5,000mAh battery that supports 18W charging.
- Moto G Power 5G features a 6.7-inch 120Hz FHD+ display, MediaTek Dimensity 7020, 8GB RAM, 128GB storage, and is priced at $299.99.
Motorola announced updates to the Moto G 5G and Moto G Power 5G on Tuesday, bringing the two phones up to 2024 standards. The Motorola G series is the company’s flagship line of affordable smartphones, which is saying something considering the price-to-performance ratio of the Motorola Razr and Razr+. While the Moto G Play 2024 is nothing to write home about, the Moto G 5G 2024 and Moto G Power 5G 2024 are proper modern 5G phones with current versions of Android and enough processing power to handle entertainment apps and browsing. In the case of the Moto G 5G, you also get all of this at a lower starting price than last year.
The 9 best Android phones right now
From regenerative artificial intelligence to stunning cameras, there are plenty of wonderful Android phones to choose from right now.
Motorola/Pocket
What’s new in Moto G 5G?
Improved performance, same battery life
Motorola has equipped the Moto G 5G 2024 with the Snapdragon 4 Gen 1, the mid-range sibling of the Snapdragon 8 Gen 1, paired with 4GB RAM and 128GB storage. You can expand the RAM to 8GB if you use Motorola’s RAM Boost feature (which converts storage into more RAM), and the 128GB of storage to 1TB using a microSD card if you wish.
It’s a modest improvement overall, but ultimately better in both CPU and GPU performance than the Snapdragon 480+5G in the previous Moto G. The battery is unchanged, but Motorola says the 5,000mAh battery will still last you at least two days of use. You’ll get support for 18W charging instead of last year’s 15W, but there’s still only a 10W charger in the box.
In terms of display, the new Moto G has a 6.6-inch HD+ 120Hz screen, which has a slightly higher pixel density than the 2023 model, but it’s unlikely to feel meaningful. It’s paired with Dolby Atmos-compatible stereo speakers, which is nice in theory but doesn’t mean as much on a smartphone as a pair of headphones or home theater equipment. There is a 50MP main camera and a 2MP macro camera on the back, and for the front-facing selfie camera, you get an 8MP sensor. It’s all wrapped in a green, almost faux-leather finish that looks classy compared to the plastic surfaces of some other budget phones.
The Moto G 5G 2024 will be available on March 21 for $199.99 ($50 cheaper than last year) at T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, Google Fi, and several other prepaid carriers, then on May 2 Available unlocked on Amazon and Best Buy.
Motorola/Pocket
What’s new in Moto G Power 5G?
Subtle but meaningful upgrade across the board
The main features of the Moto G Power 5G 2024 remain battery life and fast charging capabilities. The new Moto G Power 5G still has the same 5,000mAh battery capacity as the Moto G, but now supports 15W wireless charging and 30W wired charging, which Motorola claims can be charged in “minutes.” The battery powers the MediaTek Dimensity 7020 and 8GB of RAM, expandable to 16GB via RAM Boost. As expected, storage capacity on the Moto G Power 5G starts at 128GB, but can be expanded to 1TB with a suitable microSD card.
Besides charging speed and specs, another notable change with the Moto G Power 5G is its new 6.7-inch 120Hz FHD+ display. That’s 0.1 inches larger than the previous Moto G Power 5G, but every little bit helps. After all, big phones are popular. On the back, the Moto G Power 5G has a similar 50MP main camera to the base Moto G, with the main difference being optical image stabilization for smoother videos on the move. It also has an 8MP macro that can also shoot 118-degree ultra-wide-angle shots, and a 16MP camera on the front for selfies or video calls.
Meanwhile, the Moto G Power 5G 2024 will be available on March 22 at T-Mobile, AT&T, Verizon, and prepaid carriers for $299.99, and then on March 29 at Amazon and Best Buy.
I just got Android 14, but Apple’s iOS 17 rollout has me filled with envy
Android operating system updates aren’t all that exciting.
What these phones have in common
Android 14, water-resistant coating
Both phones run Android 14, which includes some new customizations and AI editing skills for using Google Photos. Neither phone has an official IP rating, which is standard for Motorola phones. Motorola says they have a “waterproof design” and should protect against “moderate exposure to water, such as accidental spills, splashes, sweat, or light rain.” They’re not waterproof and don’t have an IP rating, so you’ll just have to take Motorola’s word for it.
5 ways Motorola’s bendable phone band has me scratching my head
Lenovo has been experimenting with bendable phone concepts for the better part of a decade, and its latest offering, while interesting, is completely wrong. Here’s why.